Global Report on the Acquisition and Weaponization of UAS

Global Report on the Acquisition, Weaponization and Deployment of Unmanned Aircraft Systems by Non-State Armed Groups for Terrorism-related Purposes is a report from the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism in association with Conflict Armament Research. Between 2022 and 2023, the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism, in collaboration with Conflict Armament Research, engaged in extensive consultations with Member States to conduct an initial exploratory study on the acquisition and utilization of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) by non-State armed groups for terrorist purposes. This study forms the foundation for the first global baseline of Member States’ experiences regarding how such groups seek to access and employ UAS, particularly concerning terrorism-related activities. Additionally, this report aims to offer insights into priority concerns for future developments. The research team plans to continuously revisit and expand upon the findings outlined in this report to monitor the evolving threat landscape. The report is structured into three main sections, or “pillars.” The first pillar investigates how non-State armed groups seek to obtain or gain access to UAS. It examines various acquisition approaches, including purchasing commercial systems and illicit manufacturing, and highlights concerns regarding knowledge transfer and potential collaboration among such groups leading to increased UAS proliferation. The second pillar explores how non-State armed groups attempt to modify UAS, particularly with the intention of weaponization. It emphasizes the growing apprehension surrounding efforts to equip commercial UAS with capabilities to deploy explosive payloads or function as single-use unmanned aerial vehicles. While Member States did not widely report actual instances of weaponization, there is a consensus that the threat is imminent, with concerns regarding the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) and its potential integration into UAS by such groups for terrorism-related purposes. The third pillar examines the circumstances under which non-State armed groups deploy UAS. It identifies 12 deployment types, with intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance activities being the most prevalent. Member States also expressed concerns regarding such groups’ use of UAS to disrupt or observe critical infrastructure. Publication Date– 2024 Global Report on the Acquisition, Weaponization and Deployment of Unmanned Aircraft Systems by Non-State Armed Groups for Terrorism-related Purposes contains the following major sections:

• Key findings
• Background
• Acquisition
• Case study: acquisition
• Weaponization
• Case study: weaponization
• Deployment
• Case study: deployment
• Conclusion: tackling terrorist use of UAS

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